Lover's Blood
by Wistful-Eyes
Summary: While Kenshin recovers at the Aoiya, he thinks about Yumi's death, which reminds him of Tomoe, another woman killed by her lover's sword....


**Disclaimer**I do not own RK *duh* and blablablablabla. Don't sue me. Bla.  
  
Lover's Blood  
  
I did not really consider stopping when Miss Yumi ran in front of me, begging me to spare Shishio. For one, I knew Shishio was not one to give up easily, that he was not, and two, that he would not back down from this fight until he would kill me. :Or until he would be killed...:  
  
-~- I was not prepared when Shishio's sword suddenly appeared through Miss Yumi's chest, stabbing me in the stomach. I had watched in horror Miss Yumi's expression of surprise. After my mind had taken in what had happened, I was overcome with grief. Filled with pain. Not physical. Mentally.  
  
Tomoe! She had rushed in front of me, unknowing that I could not see her. She had tried to protect me, and I had killed her. Her blood had soaked in the snow, covering the scent of her white plum. And now, Shishio had willingly struck his sword through his lover, just to make a small stab to my stomach.  
  
-~- I cried out to him as Miss Yumi fell backward into his arms, dying. "How could you do such a thing? Taking the life of the one you love!" I was filled with anguish and surprise. It was the same. Same selfless love that both women had which caused them to shield their loved ones. It was the same. Except-! I had not willingly killed Tomoe! Never! And this Makoto Shishio had done so without hesitation. Even as Miss Yumi now lay dead on the floor, grief did not show onto his face.  
  
-~- As I think back to that event, now lying on my bed at the Aoiya, my heart begins to sink. She had sacrificed herself willingly, and she said she had been happy before she died. But how-? How could he kill her like that? I was reminded of Tomoe strongly when Shishio performed that abdominable act. I loved Tomoe. I had not willingly killed her. Shishio. Did he love Miss Yumi? If so, how could he kill her willingly?  
  
-~- I remember Miss Yumi's gown soaking in blood, her hair coming apart and her lying limply in Shishio's arms. I remember Shishio's harsh words to me when I had asked him why. "Don't judge us!" Perhaps I should not judge. If people judged Tomoe's death...what would they think?  
  
-~- Tomoe had fallen back into my arms too. I remembered it when I saw Miss Yumi lying there. How similar their deaths were. :But I had not...:  
  
As she died Miss Yumi had struggled to keep talking, expressing how happy she was to finally help her lover in battle. She had truly been happy when she died.  
  
I remember Tomoe smiling. Her blood soaked onto her kimono as well. Of course it did. There was blood everywhere. Tomoe had been smiling. She had seemed happy. Yes, their death's were very similar. Had Tomoe been happy to protect me in battle? Just as happy as Miss Yumi was to aid Shishio in battle? Is that why Tomoe had smiled so lovingly at me as her final breath left her lips?  
  
-~- I grieved for Miss Yumi deeply, that I did. The same fate as Tomoe's, to be slewn by her lover's sword. I hoped she and Shishio found eachother in the afterlife. I was struck with a thought. Was Tomoe waiting for me in the afterlife? Or was she happily with Akira Kyosato? When I died, would Tomoe welcome me, or become cold again, like she was in the world of the living?  
  
-~- The screen door to my room opened, disrupting my thoughts. Miss Kaoru entered and she knelt by my side, with some soup. "Here, Kenshin," she said, stiring the soup with a spoon. "Have some lunch! We want to get your strength up."  
  
I turn my head to face her, and put on a mask of cheerfulness. "Thank you, Miss Kaoru. I will eat soon." She sets the soup by my bed and gets up to leave, but not before I see the worried look on her face. After she leaves, I sigh to myself. Once again I have worried her. And she will tell her worries to the others, and so, I have worried them all.  
  
-~- I must not dwell on the past, and the tragic deaths of those two women. I don't want to worry my friends. They are my present, and I will protect them as I had tried to protect Tomoe. I will not die anytime soon; I have people to protect. So I shall muse about whether or not Tomoe would welcome me another time.  
  
Closing my eyes, I send a silent prayer to Miss Yumi. As I open them again, I send a prayer to my Tomoe, and give her my love. And then, slowly, I reach for the bowl of soup Kaoru has left me.  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
. . . . . . . . .  
. . . . . .  
. . . .  
. . . I think I will visit Tomoe tomorow...  
  
~*Owari*~  
  
Author's Notes: I came up with this idea for a story after I remembered the look on Kenshin's face when Yumi was stabbed. Sure, it could be a face that was startled because of the sudden attack from Shishio, but then I wondered: "Was it because it reminded him of something?" Tomoe's death! After I pictured the look on Kenshin's face I remembered Tomoe's death, and then I realized how similar the two were.  
  
+ Both were killed by their lover's swords  
  
+ Both seemed pretty happy when they died  
  
+ Both did not know their lover's would attack: *Yumi didn't know  
  
Shishio would do that, Tomoe didn't know Kenshin couldn't see her*  
  
I thought it would be a really interesting concept that Kenshin was reminded of Tomoe when Yumi died, and thats why he kept yelling at Shishio and asking how he could be happy. I really think thats why Kenshin had that look on his face, because it reminded him of how Tomoe died. So from that idea I just wrote the story, and then I remembered Shishio and Yumi finding eachother in the afterlife *that part was sort of weird ^^;* and so then I made Kenshin wonder whether or not Tomoe would welcome him.  
  
Personally, I think Tomoe would welcome him because she does love Kenshin, and she accepted that he killed Kyosato and forgave him before she died. So if there was an afterlife, I think Tomoe would be happy with Kyosato, but she would also welcome Kenshin. I sort of wanted Kenshin to realize that, but Kenshin is still very guilty about Tomoe so he might not see it as clearly as I do. ^-^ Well, thats all! Hope you enjoyed! 


End file.
